iChromy Brings Chrome Browser to iPad

Google Chrome and the Apple: iPad strange bedfellows? Think again, as developer Diigo has created a simple, smooth, and fast Chrome-like web browser that feels right at home on the Apple tablet. I am a "native" kind of guy...

Google Chrome and the Apple: iPad strange bedfellows? Think again, as developer Diigo has created a simple, smooth, and fast Chrome-like web browser that feels right at home on the Apple tablet.

I am a "native" kind of guy when it comes to software/apps. I am more likely to just deal with issues stemming from using software made by the same brand as the hardware. Not say anything in particular is wrong with the Safari browser iOS devices, but if there were, I would tough it out anyway. That was until I downloaded the iChromy web browser app for iPad that offers up some of the coolest features of Google Chrome, but in iPad-form.

Probably the first thing I noticed were the tabs at the top that makes switching between browser screens a simpler task than on Safari. Don't get me wrong, Safari screen switching is cool, but a little extra.

Another noticeable difference between iChromy and Safari is the Omnibox that allows users to type in Google searches or actual website addresses in one box, versus the current Safari setup of two boxes - one for searching, and another if you know the exact address. Overall, the Omnibox just makes more sense to type whatever in the box and let it do the rest. As you scroll down the page, the web address bar disappears, giving the user just a tab-bit more real estate for viewing content. Scrolling back up, or touching the current tab in the upper-right corner will bring the address bar back.

iChromy knows you want to save/share what you're currently viewing, so there are built-in offline saving options so you can read pages later even if you are not connected to a network. Or, you can share to various bookmarking/social networking sites like Instapaper, Facebook, Twitter, Email, Google Reader, or, if you absolutely must, "open in Safari".

Bookmarking or saving a page to read offline is as simple as tapping the star (bookmark) or the eyeglasses (offline) to the right of the url address bar of the site you are currently viewing. iChromy, also gives you the option to edit/arrange your bookmarks/offline pages as you see fit.

Although not as feature-rich as Safari, iChromy is definitely quicker to browse around the web on your iPad versus using Safari. And since iChromy is free to download from iTunes, I may just change my "native" ways. Check it out and tell us what you think in the comments section.